A Nap in the Ice Garden
by DisasterofSpades
Summary: For kumiko-sama-chan's First Annual ZoSan Holiday Drabble Exchange. A trip to the Night Circus has given Sanji a moment of reflection. Mild ZoSan Rated T for my lack of knowledge on what's suitable for younger children.


**A Nap in the Ice Garden**

It is hard to determine the time after one enters the circus. Though most would not even bother, as long as the night continued. This held true even during the coldest of nights.

A cold breeze could be felt between the tents; spending up flurries of snowflakes in whites, blacks, greys, and silvers. The normally colorless scene was dusted with a light aqua that gave it an almost pulsing appearance.

For Le Cirque des Rêves itself was perched on a towering cliff that reached out over the wintery sea. Its current position was what allowed a certain group to visit this evening.

A young man watched the expanse of shifting blues that raced out to the horizon; the slowly moving waves reflected in his own light eyes. He parted his lips, spending up a cloud of white that resembled the smoke of one of his own cigarettes. The circus was full of heart stopping and mouth dropping shows; yet he seemed almost fixed to this window into the real world.

The trance-like state shattered as a group of circus patrons moved past to the courtyard, discussing the last tent they had seen. Sanji slowly pulled away from the view in a daze; following after the merry group.

Their laughter made him notice the absence of the ruckus his own nakama constantly created. The crew had spread out rather quickly, which wasn't very shocking for the Straw Hats really.

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper shot down one of the paths at once, screaming and laughing like little children at each tent they came to. The chef was pretty sure he could still hear the trio of knuckleheads.

Robin-swan had stayed behind, circling the blazing white bonfire and the cage-like contraption that contained it. The blond's heart had almost leaped out as she had placed her hand against the metal, fearing that she was burning her ivory skin. But he had been just as surprised as she when she lifted her fingers away, unharmed.

He had lost sight of Nami-swan after they had entered one of the Labyrinth's endless rooms. It had resembled a dark forest; and every breath filled the lungs with the unmistakable scent of pine. Sanji was rather disappointed that he was unable to spend more time with the tangerine lover.

As for the ship's swordsman, the winding paths were the perfect place for those with no sense of direction. Scowling at the thought of his muscle head crewmate, the blonde turned his attention to the more pleasing activities in the center of the Night Circus.

It is no exaggeration to state that one could spend the deration of their visit just in the courtyard without even seeing one tent. Sanji would have spent more time there himself if he hadn't been following after Nami. The space was elegantly arranged with not only the bonfire, but with a variety of performers, food stalls, and groups of people enjoying their visit.

Glancing around the crowd for signs of his shipmates showed that they had all shifted out to find what else the circus had in store. He shrugged, moving in line to purchase a cup of the rich coffee that filled the air with its bittersweet aroma. The cook was pleasantly surprised to find the drink not scalding hot. Though he was more occupied noting the ingredients in his mind so he could try to recreate it later.

The warmth from just holding the steaming beverage brought to Sanji's attention just how cold it was that evening. He moved closer to the snow white fire, sparing a brief thought to how they were able to make it such a color.

It seemed he was not the only one who decided to take refuge by the warm light. Others had shifted their own tables closer to the bonfire; while groups stood nearby talking or watching the beautiful contortionist on her platform a few feet away.

Spotting the tiny woman almost instantly brought the love cook over to the already large crowd of spectators. It was almost painful to watch; yet at the same time one could not peel their eyes away from her.

She was scarcely dressed, in an outfit that looked more like an oversized scarf. But she did not seem affected by the chilly air that moved even at the heart of this mystic place. Sanji's eyes traveled to her exposed shoulders that where covered in thousands of tattoos; almost resembling a shawl.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable by the surrounding crowd, the young man made a beeline to the nearest path leading away from the courtyard. His feet move of their own accord as their owner drifts off into his own thoughts. It is not until he realizes that he has stopped that he sees he is standing in front of a slightly larger than average tent. In elegant looping letters it simply reads

ICE GARDEN

The pirate's attention was caught, and with no hesitation he pulled the silky door aside. The light inside sent a jab of pain through his eyes; for they had been adjusted to the more dimly lit world outside. A knife calloused hand quickly covers his momentarily blinded eyes as he slowly opens them to the white room. The sight that greeted Blackleg after the throbbing stopped caused another moment of pause though.

If he had not seen it himself, Sanji was pretty sure he would not believe the exhibition was real. The whole room was white; from the milky paths and pale fountains, to the very flowers and trees that seemed to be of ivory. Yet it was all made of ice.

Taking a few hesitant steps down the pebble strewn path, he pauses at one of the rose bushes. His fingers skim over the cool petals, and he realizes that it is colder in this tent then it is the December night outside. Quickly plucking the clear flower, the martial artist watches as the delicate object shatters in his hand. He is further amazed as he watches another rose grow out of the break he had just caused.

Sanji then proceeds to stroll through the garden, pausing at every new plant or feature to admire the craftsmanship of the whole place. With the walls blending in with the rest of the pale world, there seems to be no end to the frosty miracle. He felt content just to spend the rest of his evening enjoying its simple beauty.

The peace is disrupted though as the hairs on the back of his neck rise up. The blond shifts his head around, trying to determine from where the sense of unease came from. A shifting from beneath a nearby willow tree snaps him into motion; long strides bring the pirate to the other's position.

His hand pulls the overhanging leaves aside, one led bent to let loose a volley of kicks. And is stopped by the sight of a certain green haired man sitting against the cold tree trunk. The cook scrunches his visible eyebrow as a corner of his mouth twitches.

Roronoa Zoro is well known for his ability to sleep anywhere. This was just proven by the fact that he had fallen asleep at a circus, in a tent that was practically an icebox. He did not seem to realize this though and continued to doze on as if it were the Going Merry.

Sanji looks out behind him to see no one else in the Ice Garden before he steps into the iridescent space. The willow makes the enclosed space seem almost separate from the rest of the tent around it. Groups of large ferns and small wild flowers cover the ground like a translucent blanket. The overhanging branches shift in a soft breeze, making gaps in the pale walls and leaving a sound like wind chimes.

Cautiously stepping over the icy plants, the blond plops down so he is sitting next to his shipmate. Sanji places an elbow on his knee so that his head rests on his hand. He would never admit that he had watched the swordsman before; but this was the first time he was able to examine him up close.

Zoro had a rather handsome face; albeit in a rough fashion. It was not like he scowled often; for he did smile and laugh a lot. No, it was just that he normally had a very serious expression on his face.

And why not? He had set up a high goal that may just end up killing him. Not that their crew would let that happen. But there never seemed to be anything they could do to help him except let him train and be there to support the muscle head.

It was in the moments when he slept, ACTUALLY slept, that all the creases in his face smoothed out and made him look his age. Each light breath let out a slight snore; sometimes followed by a twitch of his nose. With tan skin and unnatural hair, the swordsman looked like a spot of summer in the icy hold of the garden.

A smile crept up Sanji's face, enjoying the sight of this side of the rough warrior. The blond poked at his nakama's cheek with the hope that he might just wake up. But when Zoro only slightly shifted in his sleep, the cook decided it was best to just leave him be.

Settling his own back against the freezing bark, he moved so he was just barely brushing the marimo's arm with his own. After a moment of hesitation Sanji placed his head on his companion's shoulder, leaning more on Zoro than the tree. Even though the room was chilly and the ground slightly uncomfortable, the cook was lulled to sleep in moments by the other's rhythmical breathing and warmth.

* * *

It was getting on towards dawn when the Pirate Hunter woke from his fitful sleep. He had be thinking of seeing more of the circus; but when he came across this spot under the willow, it had seemed the perfect place for a nap.

Making a motion to get up, he was surprised to find that there was something leaning against his side. Something warm and breathing. Head slowly turning as his scarred hand prepared to pull out Wado Ichimonji.

He was stopped though when he looked down on a head of familiar blonde hair and a well-tailored suit. Zoro's eyebrows knit together in a confusion, wondering why on earth Sanji was not trailing after one of their female crewmates. Actually, it was more why he had chosen to fall asleep on his shoulder, of all people.

The swordsman was about to hit the cook with the hilt of his blade when he decided to just wait for him to wake up. Sweeping some stray hairs from Sanji's pale face, Zoro used the action to move more against the other. He then settled his own head over the blonde's, drifting back to sleep.

* * *

**Edit: (Slowly trying to figure things out.) A shout out to The Wandering Swordsman who instructed me on how to correct any errors I had made. Thank you all for the reviews on my first drabble!**


End file.
